English Names for Girls

The name recently given to their daughter by Susan and Robert Downey, Jr. is pronounced like Avery and may be seen as a kree8tiv spelling variation of that <a href="https://nameberry.com/unisex-names">popular unisex name</a> or a girlish short form of Avraham, the Biblical Hebrew form of Abraham.

Avri

Brooklyn is a theoretically unisex name that in reality is 98 percent female, while variations Brooklynn and Brooklynne are all-girl.

Brooklynne

One of the coolest girls in the class of '73, still cute but not quite as youthful.

Christie

This Corey variation is getting a fresh shot of style juice thanks to young It Girl Cory Kennedy (not to be confused with RFK daughter, filmmaker Rory Kennedy).

Cory

Introduced via Sopranos star Drea (born Andrea) de Matteo, and catching on with a wider audience. 

Drea

Freddie, especially with the ie ending, is one of the old-school boy-names-for-girls that came into vogue at the turn of the last century. Freddie, all on its own, ranked among the Top 1000 girl names until 1958, but in 2021 it was given to just 8 baby girls. Maybe that makes it prime for a comeback, ala Billie?

Freddie

Although this is a legitimate name, most people would associate it with a line of Volkswagens -- you'd be better off choosing a Mercedes. 

Jetta

On one hand, Julieanna might be considered a less succinct and less popular spelling alternative to Juliana or Julianna, while on the other, it might be viewed as a compound name, blending 70s fave Julie with classic, international Anna. 
 
In the former case, it would share the cloudy etymology of Julia, Julian, Julius, and co. which may mean "youthful", "downy-bearded", "relating to Jove (Jupiter)", or "sky father". Throw Anna into the mix, and you can add "grace" to any of these meanings: "graceful youth" or "youthful grace" or "grace of Jupiter" might be a few possibilities.
 
Juliana or Julianna would probably be easier to wear, but Julieanna might work if you wanted to make it clear you were honoring a Julie and an Anna in one name. 
 
A trending name on Nameberry for 2025, buzz around Julieanna might have been created by social media personality, Julieanna Goddard (also known as YesJulz) or from people searching plant-based Julieanna Hever recipes.

Julieanna

Maeve, a contemporary Irish favorite, is blended here with that trendy -lyn suffix, in the style of Emberlyn, Gracelyn, and Raelyn. It could then be interpreted as meaning "she who intoxicates with her beauty", "intoxicating lake", or "flexible, tender and intoxicating", depending on whether you go with the Spanish, Welsh, or German origins of Lynn. First appearing in the US charts back in 2020, a recent year saw Maevelyn given to 14 girls, while alternative spelling Maevelynn was chosen for 9. 

Maevelyn

Sleek, unisex surname rarely heard for girls -- which could be seen as an asset. 

Reed

Rickie carries a vintage charm and tomboyish appeal. With boyish nicknames for girls - like Charlie and Stevie - rising, why not Rickie?
 
Rickie is given to about 10 baby girls each year in the US, about half the number of sister spelling Ricki. A little under 300 boys a year receive this name spelled Ricky.

Rickie

Originally a surname deriving from the Roman twin Romulus, this attractive name was introduced to the English-speaking world as a first name by painter Augustus John who used it for his son. Romilly John became Admiral of the Fleet in England. 
 A French surname from the twelfth century on, it's more recently been heard as a girls' name. Emma Thompson, for example, used Romilly as her daughter Gaia's middle name. And Romilly was used in the US last year for a dozen baby girls.
 The logical nicknames would be Romy or Milly, both very much in style.

Romilly

French designer name Chanel spelt phonetically in English.

Shanelle

A modern creation, blending celestial word name Star with the popular suffix -lie, Starlie may be interpreted as meaning "star meadow, star clearing" or simply as "star". It is notably borne by musician (and sister to Lucky Blue), Starlie Cheyenne Smith, and was used by YouTubers Savannah Jean and Josh Alexander (Sav&Josh) for their daughter in 2023.

Starlie

A name that is either inspired by the classic Harriet (and by the character Arrietty in The Borrowers), or, a compound name, merging Aria and Ari with Etta, to generate the meanings "little song" or "little lion"

Arietta

This spelling of Blyss was used for about 20 baby girls in the US last year, but it doesn't add anything to the original.

Blyss

While this spelling is running a close second on the popularity charts to the original Briana, it feels more invented — probably because it is. Some parents may want to move further away from Brian, the root name for all the feminine variations, and so prefer the e versions. But we like the older, more authentic Briana best.  Another spelling way: Breanna. 

Breana

Brier

This frilly Victorian name is a variant of Cecilia and Cecily, with which it might well be confused. Cicely was a surprise choice for comedienne Sandra Bernhard. 
 Literary Cicelys can be found in Sir Walter Scott's "Kenilworth" and the 1925 Dos Passos novel "Manhattan Transfer."
 A distinguished bearer is actress Cicely Tyson. Cicely, or Sweet Cicely is also a herbaceous plant with a strong taste reminiscent of anise,and is sometimes used for medicinal purposes.

Cicely

Darina comes from the Slavic element "dar" which means gift; the name is found in Czech, Bulgarian, and Slovak cultures and translates easily for English speakers.  Darina may also be an Anglicization of the Irish Dairine, which means "fruitful."

Darina

English girl names dominate the popularity lists in the US, the UK, and other English-speaking countries, with Evelyn and Avery ranking among the top names in the US, and Poppy, Evie, and Grace charting in the UK.

English names for girls range from the down-to-earth and simple, like Lucy and Ann, to positively aristocratic-sounding, like Georgiana or Araminta. Some English girl names are 

, often drawn from nature, such as Hazel and Lilac.

include Addison, Audrey, Eleanor, Harper, Lillian, Lily, Lucy, Piper, and Scarlett.

 include Amelia — a long-time number-one name in the United Kingdom — Isla, Charlotte, and Alice.

English girls’ names may be English-language versions of names rooted in classic Greek, Latin, or Hebrew languages and cultures, such as Dorothy, Eleanor, and Evelyn, or classics that transcend fashion like Harriet, Jane, Madeline, and Pamela.

Whether you’re looking for a girl name that’s classic or contemporary, popular or rare, you can find an English name that suits your style in our complete list of English girl names. The names on this list are ordered according to their current popularity on Nameberry.

Names of English origin for baby girls, with meanings and popularity, including popular English girl names and unique English names for baby girls. (Page 36)

English Girl Names (with Meanings & Popularity)